TOLEDO, Ohio — Three months after finishing up her first collegiate season at the University of Oregon, former Notre Dame Academy basketball star Grace VanSlooten is back home preparing for another stint with Team USA.
Next month, the 6'3" forward will represent the U.S. overseas in Spain while competing in the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup.
"It's an honor any time you get to wear your country's name across your chest," VanSlooten said. "Obviously super grateful for the opportunity and going to go out and win gold."
In June of 2022, she won a gold medal at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship, which then led to her freshman year at Oregon. As a member of the Ducks, she averaged 13.2 points per game, the second-highest average on the team.
VanSlooten not only earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention as a freshman; she became only the third player in conference history to sweep Freshman and Player of the Week honors when she received both awards on Dec. 26, 2022. Despite a great first impression at the NCAA level, she remains determined to improve.
"This offseason has been super important in growing my game," VanSlooten said. "Going to go back next season and hopefully do some bigger things."
As a 2022 McDonald's All-American in high school, VanSlooten has proven the ability to compete at any level she plays. That includes adapting her game for future aspirations.
"Definitely developing an outside game more," she said. "I'm not small, but in college, I am. Especially if I want to play after college, I need to be out on the wing and become more of a 3 (small forward), not a 4 (power forward)."
Throughout her constant work ethic, she's also embracing her time back at home. Since transferring from Notre Dame Academy (where she netted All-Ohio 1st team honors as a junior) to IMG Academy in 2021, VanSlooten hasn't had the opportunity to spend a lot of time in Toledo until now.
"This is my first time being home for three weeks in the past two years," VanSlooten said. "So, I'm spending a lot of time with family and friends and getting to see everybody before I go back."
She'll head off to Colorado for training camp with Team USA before competing in Europe from July 15-23.